Olympic Chainsaw Massacre
Submitted by commando on Fri, 09/22/2000 - 18:01.
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NBC contributed the latest example of advertising "standards and practices" hypocrisy when it cut a new Olympics spot from Nike spot off at the knees this week.
The spot, a parody of slasher movies, features runner Suzy Hamilton being chased through the woods by a chainsaw-weilding masked man. The Nike-clad Olympian easily outdistances the psycho, leaving him panting in exhaustion as supers pop up stating "Why sport? You'll live longer."
The network cited an unspecified "number of viewer complaints" as the reason for its flip-flop on the previously approved spot. Once again, advertising is being subjected to scrutiny that programming in the same media is spared from.
Other instances of this type double standard include the Fox Network's objection to a Super Bowl spot featuring a man driven up an elephant's derriere and ABC saying "no" to artificial noses.
It's hard to understand what this network censorship accomplishes other than giving media buyers another reason to shift to cable.
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I just saw the commercial in question - it is fantastic! It mimics the bad slasher movie feel so well one is almost fooled for a second ( I wonder how many people were actually fooled if they switched channels and landed in this commercial).
Interesting for Adland Badlands section - I saw a dutch movie shortlisted in Cannes this year that also mimicked the slasher-horrors, ending with a masked man carrying a chainsaw and some line suggesting that whatever company took care of the garbage as well. Not at all as good as this Nike idea - but same genre.
Moving this commercial to be shown during a later hour would suffice one would think rather than not showing it at all.
There is violence in american TV daily - on shows, on the news, even in the cartoons, I'm actually quite suprised that people complained, as normally in the states, there is an uproar like this only when a (god forbid) nipple is shown or anything at all related to sex , and extreme violence is fine.
This is such a well directed ad - perhaps thats what doomed it, it really *looks* like a slasher film to the last detail. I love it, I laughed my ass off. Nike is back - this film kicks all those high-budget lame ideas on it's ass.
Usually the number of viewer complaints are no more than five - but one happens to be from the network-wife.
Just kidding - but you'd be suprised on how few complaints it actually takes to remove a commercial - sometimes less than two digits. It's pathetic - we should all write in to NBC and tell them to put the fim *back* on!
I completly agree on that last point you made - this commercial really knock the socks off Nike's earlier films, such as the airport film directed by WOO, the latest extremely highbudget film where the soccerplayers try to get their extra round ball back and those other buddget equeal to the BNP of a southamerican country disasters. This brings us back to basics - the IDEA counts! The budget doesn't! A brilliant idea well executed will always win in the end. Bracvo Nike, and BOOOOOOO to the channels that won't show it!
I wholeheartly agree that this is one of the best Nike ads, ever actually, but I cringe at the tagline.
It could be shorter, or different, or something. Now it's too obvious, I thought what the tagline said befoore it apperead, it really brings this piece down.
No hypocrisy involved in the pulling of the spot I feel. I think they simply realise what a bad retro parody idea this is. It's a commercial Nike should've done in the early 90's. Are they going back to their roots with their communication? This is backwards branding, an obvious idea taken to its obvious conclusion. It acts like a big coorporation trying to be cutting edge, and I guess they dont want to act they want to be. And it includes a chainsaw. A chainsaw = the creatives last gasp attempt to include a piece of carazy wackiness into the concept. Now go and stand in the corner - you've been a very bad boy.
What?! Are you crazy. You wouldn't know a well-branded idea if it chopped off your head. Nike are getting back to the simple one thought idea rather than being too clever for their own good. Advertising for the people. And who cares if it's parody? I see no (too big,anyway) multi millionaire buck star vehicle b-s here. Just a man, a woman, a chainsaw, an idea and a pair of running shoes. Smart.